Some 500 alumni, faculty, staff and guests are on campus this weekend for the "Coming Back and Looking Forward" conference sponsored by the University in partnership with the Association of Black Princeton Alumni. At a reception on Thursday evening in the Icahn Laboratory, alumni (clockwise from foreground) Veronica Anderson-Corpening and Charles Corpening, both members of the class of 1987, and Noel Gordon, a member of the class of 1986, talked with undergraduates Steven Brown and Nikki Bowen.

Events began with a reception on Thursday evening and will continue
through a concert on Saturday evening. Conference sessions will open on
Friday morning with welcoming remarks by President Shirley M. Tilghman.

"While the conference will provide opportunities to reflect on how
Princeton has become stronger and more diverse over recent decades, the
principal focus will be on identifying priorities and strategies that
will enable Princeton to do an even better job going forward," Tilghman
wrote in a letter to invitees. She also will lead a conversation with
alumni on Saturday morning.

During the day on Friday and Saturday, participants will hear about
campus diversity initiatives, the new Center for African American
Studies and the University Center for the Creative and Performing Arts.
Top-level administrators will lead sessions on admission, financial
aid, finances, priorities and campus planning.

There also will be faculty lectures on topics ranging from the
University's integrated science curriculum to neuroscience research to
Hurricane Katrina and America's racial politics.

A panel discussion by several current students is planned about student
life today. In addition, participants will be able to attend career
networking panel discussions on topics including finance, nonprofits,
law, the academy and health care.

The conference will close with a wrap-up session titled "Where Do We Go
From Here?" and a dinner featuring concluding remarks by Cornel West,
the Class of 1943 University Professor of Religion and a member of the
graduate class of 1980. A concert by jazz guitarist Stanley Jordan, a
member of Princeton's class of 1981, will follow the dinner.